


What Is Right But Not Easy

by Pineapples_And_Peaches



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Utopia, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Orphan Keith (Voltron), Purge, utopian setting, violence isnt overly graphic but im cautious so be careful bbys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-05 01:54:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15853839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pineapples_And_Peaches/pseuds/Pineapples_And_Peaches
Summary: Lance had just moved to the urban island of Daibazaal from the small village of Balmera that was by the coast. Now in a new environment with no preparation a purge that is set to last a year is announced. He has six hours and his family set a plan. Meanwhile, Keith's simple but fairly failsafe plan gets thrown off of the rails because his mamma raised a 'gentleman'.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, so this is going to be a multi-chapter fanfiction. This was and original book idea that I got bored of so made it fanfiction lmao enjoy :)

It was time the Galran government to call for something without thinking of possible consequences again. Yes, again. 

It was anounced that because of the overwhelming surge in the population, there would be a year-long purge in the country of Daibazaal.  
Yep, stupid, that's what thousands of innocent public citizens thought.  
Before any protests could begin another anouncement was made that there was a list of 1,000,000 people who desperatly didn't want to be involved with anything illegal. There was a sanctuary being made on a man-made island off shore.

However, to get to be on the list, you had to pay a ridiculous amount of money or have a special reason so only those born into money, with successful jobs or the people running the purge itself could get in.

Most people who were lacking in money but not common sense, began training to be able to protect themselves in the months before. Thousands of people rushed to escape the cities, however, on the other hand, the rest of the population rejoiced.  
To get rid of the people they hate;  
To put themselves out of debt;  
To have better things;  
To go places they've always dreamed of;  
To steal the things they've always wanted;  
To follow all your weirdest, wildest dreams.

What they didn't think about however, was how corrupt this could make people. They also didn't think about keeping criminals contained or monitering asylms.  
Or people who had been shut-in psychopaths.

Honestly, why were these people even in charge?

Another thing that was bound to happen from the very beginning was people without money who were good, innocent, law-obiding members of the public would become victims simply because they weren't wealthy.

Nothing about the plan had been thought through and that was obvious only to those who couldn't afford to be safe.  
People like Lance.

Lance McClain was a 17 year old boy and this is his humiliating, ridiculous, traumatising, terrifing, surprisingly romantic experience of the purge.

...

 

Unfortunately, there's no way to sugarcoat it, after all it is the fucking purge.  
People were going to die, and remember, for an entire year all crime was going to be legal.  
Lance had literally turned 17 a week before his family flew to Daibazaal.  
He had been born and raised in the beautiful country of Balmera and was blessed with the language of love itself.  
Español.  
Which was widely spoken throughout the nation.

Everyone in his family of 7 could speak it and sometimes just for fun they would go out in front of tourists and scream really nice things at each other and the oblivious onlookers would sometimes even try and break up the fight.  
If that happened, they moved on to phase 2 of the joke and yelled compliments and declarations of love at the tourists until they backed away.

Their neighbours got used to it and would sometimes come outside to do the same. 

Abuela was the eldest at 83;  
Then Pa at 49;  
Mama at 46;  
Luis was 21;  
Marco and Veronica (the twins) were 19;  
And Lance was the baby, 17.

Their family was closer than many might expect from a family of 7.

Luis had grown older and bought a house in the neighbourhood but had never truly grown up. Marco was uni but came home for birthdays and holidays. Veronica was in her rebelious phase and was convinced that she didn't belong to such a weird family. They all knew that there wasn't even a possibility of her being adopted with her chestnut hair, brown eyes and smooth tanned skin.  
Lance was the only child with his father's sky blue eyes.  
They all shared similar features so whenever we went out they caught a few eyes to say the least.

So they had just moved right?  
Into a big city, lots of people.  
Had no money etc.  
That's when the news reached them.

Lance had been the first to burst into their new home. Jogging up and down the stairs that carved their way up the front yard, waiting for his family to catch up.

Pa whistled out to him and Lance stopped on one of the steps to turn to him, still jogging on the spot. Pa threw a pair of keys in Lance's direction, Lance reached out to catch them and beamed wide and childish. He stummbled up the steps, fumbling and almost dropping the keys in his excitement. From behind him Veronica snorted a laugh and Lance sent a glare in her direction, there was no real hostility to it though, he was to busy smiling.

Finally fitting the keys in the latch with his shaking hands, he twisted them and heard the satisfying click of it popping open. He started to jog again and flung the door open, revealing a little room for shoes and coats that turned into a corridor with 2 doors and a stair case leading up on the left. There was a chorus of 'Ooohhh's as the McClain's explored their new home.

There was no furniture (obviously) but the house had character and Lance loved it. The previous owners had been kind enough to leave old air mattresses in each of the upstairs rooms so Lance shut the door and flopped down on his mattress. Closing his eyes and taking a moment to breathe, he opened them again only to be met with his bare bedroom ceiling.  
Bare.

Sitting up quickly, Lance wobbled around a bit flailing his long limbs before hurriedly walking across to his carry-on bag, his bare feet thudding softly on the wooden floor.  
His mama had said that carry-on bags were for essential luggage only. Well, the stars were pretty essential to him. Digging around a bit, he finally found a packed of glow in the dark star stickers that his friends back home had bought for him. They were the exact same type as the ones still stuck to his old ceiling back home, he and his friends had spent sleepover after sleepover watching them and Pa used to make up stories about how an alien had stolen them out of the sky just for him. Growing up he'd always wanted to be an astronaut, he still did.

After he had arranged the stars exactly how he wanted (covering the ceiling and creeping down the walls in some areas) he heard a shriek and some shocked words in Spanish. He thudded quickly down the stairs, followed by Luis.  
The scream was Veronica, she stood in front of the radio that she had just plugged in. She looked horrified. She turned to them with her jaw dropped and her hands shaking.

'Oh no.' Lance thought. As the last of the report played out, the rest of the family filling the kitchen.

"-repeat, you have 6 hours before all of Daibazaal is pushed into a purge that should last a year. The gates in and out of the country are closing, all those who haven't left should prepare immediately. The 'safe list' is full and we can only count the hours. May we wish safety on all that are left."

Lance suddenly understood why they were able to afford such a nice house.

 

They had 6 hours until it all began.

It wasn't nearly enough time but then again, nothing would've been.

Mama gathered the whole family in the living room like she always did when there was a disaster impending. There was no time for any of them to do anything substantial, wepons all over the internet had been sold out. They had no wepons, no stocks of food, no protection. Nothing, they were sitting ducks in a pond surronded by hunters, each one armed to the teeth with weapons.

...

5 hours left.

 

Lance lifted his head to the clock that was steadily counting the seconds to the inevitable trauma.

He wanted to cry.

His family had just pulled everything together, they were going to start a new life. Start a new school, make friends, maybe even fall in love. Instead he was stuck inside his new house (which would almost definitely be destroyed or ransacked soon) counting down to midnight.  
Waiting for that deafening alarm to blare and for the tragedy that would follow. He couldn't stop twitching, bouncing his knee, tapping his fingers. He couldn't help it. There was nothing more impo to him than his family, and, given the recent complication, there was no way all of them were going to make it.

Thinking back to his mama's plan he thought it through. 

'If you hear a noise I want to to run, vault the fence and keep running. After the purge, find a phone and dial this number. It's a friend of your Abuela's, she made it into the island. She's promised to help anyway she can after this is all over.  
Unfortunately, the best idea is to split up, run in different directions. Any way  away from urban areas, stay away from things of value. Keep any food or water you find to yourself and carry it at a minimum. You don't want to attract natural predators as well.'

He had his bag, a proper one from the camping holiday last year. It had so much shit in it he was amazed he could carry it, thank got for all those the memories that people might be tempted to steal. Luis had packed practically, unlike almost everyone else. He focused his space into food and medical supplies. Lance's father did the same. Lance's mother went ballistic, packing baby clothes and shoes, photo albums and old children's books, crying the whole time. She left the recipe books on the shelf, "For when we come home." She said.

Lance had packed as well, they had each got their boxes out of the car and searched through to find some essentials. Lance had sat alone. He had also taken one of the photo albums, this one was his one, all his birthdays, festivals, minor achievements, even his first time surfing. On the front it said his name, and on the inside cover was a personalized message from each of his parents. The messages were written the day after Lance had been born, talking about the beautiful person he was going to become no matter what path he chose. Lance began to tear up, he couldn't loose these people. Who was he with out his family?  
He took the tiny blue lion out of his carry on bag, it was something he had found when he was younger and he kept it, as some sort of goodluck charm. It fit neatly into his pocket and he could rub his thumb over the shiny plastic nose if he got nervous.  
Taking another glance around his room, he grabbed his favorite green jacket and pushed the lion safe into one of the deep pockets. Then he picked up his bag, shoved his hands into his jeans and trudged down the stairs gloomily.

They divided up, much to Lance's disapproval when he had found out that Abuela intended to stay if an attacker came. Mama and Pa were together, they were going to try and find a bunker or place to hide it out. Veronica and Marco were together. In their late teens and ready for adventure, although neither were happy with the circumstances. That meant that Lance and Luis were going it alone, brother-brother bonding was now in session.

 

3 hours left

They were all gathered now, around the fire in the living room. They had built a nest on the floor and were all piled on it like a sad lump of dispare. Aside from Abuela (who sat stubbornly in her rocking chair) everyone was there Mama and Pa's hands never separating. Veronica and Marco were absolutely destroying Pa and Luis in a game of cards. Lance however, was curled in on himself, laying on his side with his head in his Mama's lap. He was watching his family, taking in the feeling of his mother's fingers raking gently across his scalp and over his smooth chestnut hair. Tears welled up in his eyes, after this year, there might not be everyone in this perfect family picture left alive. There might not be a house left.

His Mama noticed his tears and brushed her smooth thumb over his cheek to dry them. Pa wrapped his arm completely over his mama's shoulders and she leant into him. Lance vaguely registered Marco, Luis and Veronica curling up around the family pile. Then his eyes fluttered closed, tired from the flight but still pumping with adrenaline, he fell into a fitful sleep.

 

He dreamed that he was running on a bridge over a purple ocean, he couldn't see what was chasing him but he could hear guns and cries behind him. He kept running. Up ahead, he could see it crumbling, falling into the purple sea but causing no splash despite how large the pieces were. Lance kept running, he couldn't stop, nothing could stop him, he was only getting fast. Running forward, about to jump-

Lance sat up at the speed of sound, disturbing Veronica as he did so. Hurriedly, he looked at the clock in the corner that ticked steadily. Tauntingly. Lance wished it would stop.

11:43.

 

17 minutes.

 

He screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi loves! Sorry this took so long to get out, I've been really busy and I only update for fun so yeah. Updates might be a little slow :/

Keith hated being stressed.

It was bad enough waiting for Shiro to find him without the added risk of death. Of course they had both known the purge was coming but the reality of the situation hadn't truly set in for Keith yet.

In a few hours, Shiro might be killed. Killed for fun.  
Keith shuddered almost violently where he sat on his bed/sofa, hands in his hair.

Keith hated waiting.

He took a deep breath, Shiro was strong. He would make it. It would all be fine in the end. Keith looked to the clock, 09:23pm. He wished he could just pull Shiro through time and space right into his shack. 

Deciding to make himself some dinner which was technically his breakfast (yes, his sleep pattern was that bad) Keith stood from his bed and stumbled into the kitchen, which was just the furthest left hand corner. He wandered into things and tripped a little now and then, swearing under his breath and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Maybe making food would make him feel a little less helpless.

Keith hated not feeling useful.

His shack was tiny, a little cuboid, barely noticeable, looked mostly like a large rock more than anything but it was perfect. There was a giant tree right next to it and when Keith climbed it he could see over the smaller trees that seemingly went on for miles. Over to the houses, the people, and in the distance, the castle. Lord Zarkon's castle to be exact. But more on that later.

Keith looked at his fridge and immediately decided that, with his track-record for cooking, he should not attempt an omelet.

Even though he knew that the best thing he could do for Shiro right now was to sit and wait for his return. Wait and keep with the shack and supplies, wait and be ready to bandage injures, stitch up cuts, perform CPR, anything really.

God know what could happen.

 

//

 

Lance was scared. Terrified actually but admitting it out loud was difficult. Luis walked just slightly ahead of him and held a torch, shining it over the trees that surrounded them like a cage. It was something out of a horror movie, or a nightmare, speaking of, perhaps this wasn't real. This could be an awful dream, perhaps real him subconsciously didn't want to leave Balmera and this was his way of showing to himself that, there really is no place like home.

They had split up, just like they had promised, tearful goodbyes and goodlucks, each and every member hoping and praying for a reunion with everyone once this Hell was over. Abuela saw them off from the door, kissed them all on both cheeks and told them not to get themselves killed. Lance didn't plan on it. He could already hear car and smoke alarms and they still had 2 minutes.

Lance was scared, but he was glad that he had Luis. The sensible one, the grown up, the oldest. He was always good to them all, sure petty fights every now and then (usually over time spent in the shower) but Lance was probably the closest to Luis. After all, they were 4 years apart. Luis had watched Lance grow up and kept him pretty safe from the devil twins. That Lance was very much grateful for, but he couldn't shake this awful feeling of being follow-

Luis whistled once, loud and clear. Lance knew what that meant. He slowly began to stutter; 

"He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.  
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.  
He was the top man at his craft  
But then his number came up,  
and he was gone with the draft  
He's in the army now,  
a-blowin' reveille  
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B."

As Lance reached the end, Luis whistled and Lance started over, more confidently this time. Slowly his head blocked out the scary thoughts, this wasn't happening. He wasn't here, he was home. Real home, Balmera, with his family, and they were all singing the same catchy verse over and over again.  
Luis had done what he always managed to do, he helped Lance find his safe space in all the chaos. He always knew, always stepped in at the right moment, just before Lance lost his mind with worry. Lance skipped forward a little, walking next to Luis and he offered a smile at his big brother. Luis smiled back and a comforting hand brushed Lance's. They linked pinkies like they always did when they were younger and Lance felt so safe in that moment.

That's when the gunshot rang out.

//

A shriek sounded off, high and feminine, Keith startled from his half-slumber so suddenly he almost fell off of his tree branch.

Since news of the purge had reached him, Keith had decided not to sleep in his shack but instead to sleep in the tree above it, that way he was not vunerable to attack but he still had a source of food. Besides, his mother's blade tucked in his father's firefighter boot and her silver and purple engagement necklace resting on his collarbones, anything else left in the shack was meaningless to Keith.

A second sound of distress sounded off, weaker, more of a sob than a scream. It sounded like a young lady.

And yeah, Keith was gay as Hell but for the few years that his mother was actually alive, she hadn't raised a jerk. 

Sure Keith wasn't exactly a gentleman either but...

Keith pushed himself off of the branch, he fell to the floor and landed crouched. There might be a chance he could save a young woman before a rapist or axe murder got his hands on her, he was going to take it. He could still hear movement to his left so he turned and sprinted in that direction.

 

There was more cries coming from up ahead. Sobs as well, Keith could hear the light echo off of the trees. There was something rolling towards him, glowing, but he ignored it, instead sprinting in the direction it came from. A small clearing in front of him, he powered forwards, adrenaline buzzing through him. Finally he felt useful. 

Once in sight he took in what he could see, a man stood in the centre of the clearing, clearly holding a weapon. The man with a gun was facing someone. Presumably, the source of the scream. They had pressed themself as close to the tree as humanly possible and Keith could see the reflection of tear-tracks staining their face in the moonlight. They were shaking like they were naked in the snow and Keith fought down a growl. There were bags abandoned in the snow, this person had been left.

Who the fuck did the arsehole with a gun think he was? 

Keith pulled the blade out of his boot and ran at the attacker.

The man turned just in time to see Keith's blade and furious expression but by then it was too late. Keith laid 2 deep cuts on this guys chest and pushed him down, dizzy and disoriented, Keith hoped this guy would bleed out slowly.

Snapped back to reality by that thought, Keith's eyes searched the clearing for the other guy. Finding no one nearby Keith checked briefly over the bag.

Then he heard a little sniffle from behind him, he turned and looked around before his eyes finally settled on the silhouetted person.

'Ah, right. Okay. This... Person has just lost their best friend/brother/boyfriend/cousin and will need comfort. You got this. Feelings. You can handle feelings. What would Shiro do?'

That's an easy question. Shiro would make it clear that he was no threat, Keith held up both of his hands and dropped his knife to the forest floor. He shuffled forwards and dropped to the floor, still a few feet away from the stranger. 

'Okay, okay, that went well. They may be crying but they're not screaming anymore. That's good. Okay, what else?'

Keith cleared his throat, "uh, hey. I'm Keith, are you hurt?" Keith couldn't actually see the person all that well but they looked tall and thin, with long legs and arms. Lanky. Their face was mostly hidden in the shadow of the hood, they were still shaking. They shook their head, still not speaking. Their bottom lip trembled.

Keith steadily reached out and took their hand, they flinched at first but gradually accepted, Keith pulled them to their feet.

Keith knew he couldn't stay any longer, as he pulled the person to their feet he took a look at their face. Masculine features, a boy, he guessed.  
He was beautiful.

Keith knew he couldn't stay any longer

"Sorry about the other guy." Keith said, and left. Walking away into the shadows, back to where his shack would be.

The boy did not call after him.

//

It was morning two days after the incident and Keith was still repeatedly slamming his face on the table. Why on earth had he just left? The most beautiful boy of the century and he had just gone in there, killed a man and left? What was wrong with him? He should've offered him shelter, company, or waited with him for  his travelling companion to return at least.  
His head hit his tiny table again and again. Before he finally stopped and let his head rest there, body deflating with a sigh.

He hadn't eaten yet, already despairing at the thought of his own cooking. That was a great sign. He lifted this head, he should go shopping.  
Or, you know, stealing.

There was a knock at the door, his whole body flinched.  
He immediately went for the knife in his boot, standing from his chair at the table and walking slowly over to the door.

He unlatched the chain with a soft click and gently opened the door the tiniest bit, just enough to see...

That guy.

Oh no.

The boy stood, still in the same clothes from the last time Keith saw him. His eyes were pointed down at the bottom of the door frame. There were two bags with him, one on his back and the other at his feet, there were drag marks in to soil behind him showing where he'd been.

There was no one with him.

Keith's first thought was that he would have to clear up the drag marks left by the bag, his second thought was if the boy in front of him was okay.

The second question surely answered by the sudden weight against him, Keith startled but jumped to catch him. The boy was red-faced, slack-jawed, eyed closed.  
Keith had to look away for a moment.  
Then he had to check if he was breathing.

After discovering that he was, Keith hefted him inside to his bed and dumped him there. Covering him with a blanket.  
He wouldn't mind if Keith left for food and stuff real quick right? Nah, it would be fine. 

So Keith dragged the bag in and, on his way out of the woods, covered over the tracks.

It would be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Narrator voice*  
> It was not fine.


End file.
